Area outlining guide for wall or roof

ABSTRACT

An area marking guide for use when one is called upon to plan and display an attractive seasonal message or simulated design on the viewable surface of a building roof or a wall. It comprises a prefabricated manually applicable and removable sheet material template which is capable of being placed flatwise atop a predetermined or selected roof ara and temporarily held or fastened in a given position The sheet has means which functions to permit the user to map-out , amrk and outlet the desird characterand, in so doing, to facilitate positioning and fastening a string of Christmas tree lights or reflective ornaments on said surface conforming with the outlined area.

United States Patent Primary Examiner-Benjamin A. Borehelt Assistant Examiner-J. V. Doramus Att0rneysClarence A. OBrien and Harvey B. Jacobson ABSTRACT: An area marking guide for use when one is called upon to plan and display an attractive seasonal message or simulated design on the viewable surface of a building root or a wall. It comprises a prefabricated manually applicable and removable sheet material template which is capable of being placed flatwise atop a predetermined or selected roof ara and temporarily held or fastened in a given position The sheet has means which functions to permit the user to map-out amrk and outlet the desird characterand, in so doing, to facilitate positioning and fastening a string of Christmas tree lights or reflective ornaments on said surface conforming with the outlined area.

n unococ 't AREA OUTLINING GUIDE FOR WALL OR ROOF This invention relates to an area mapping, marking and preparing guide which is herein defined as a manually and readily applicable and removable sheet material template, that is, a flexible rectangular or equivalent sheet which is adapted to be placed flatwise in alignment with the area which is to be marked and planned for use. p

Stated more specifically, a simple, practical and easy-to-use paper or equivalent template such as herein disclosed makes it feasible and practical for a user to decorate prescribed areal portions of a roof or wall surface with a suitably constructed and performing string of Christmas tree lights or, if preferred, a plurality of artistically oriented reflective ornaments, which are arranged and mounted on the surface in a manner to match the delineated or outlined area.

As will also be hereinafter more fully revealed the material from which the template is produced will depend upon the size of the perforated pattern, the simplicity or intricacy of detail and the predetermined areal surface (building wall, roof or the like) which is to be decorated in keeping with the result desired.

Briefly, the roof and wall area delineating and marking guide comprises a template which ismade of waterproof and fireproof flexible sheet material and which is such in size and construction that it can be spread flatwise over the area which is to be prepared for decorative purposes. The sheet is provided inwardly of the marginal edges with a suitable self-contained pattern. This pattern is marginally defined by spaced individual but conjointly coordinated perforated disclike tabs of requisite size, said tabs providing area mapping and outlining markers. In fact, the tabs are so perforated that they can be struck out or manually punched out of the sheet and in this manner detached. The underneath surfaces of the tabs are coated with pressure-responsive adhesive media and the top or exterior surfaces of the tabs are coated with light-reflecting material.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view showing a fragmentary portion of a house or an equivalent building having one sloping side of the shingled roof provided with several designs, namely, a bell at the left, a simulated tree at the center, and the greeting Noel at the right.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed sectional view taken approximately on the plane of the section line 22 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 and taken approximately on the plane of the section line 3-3 of FIG. 1 and which shows the patchlike tabs adhesively secured in place with the rest of the sheet detached, whereby the tabs can be used either as rests for Christmas tree lights or can be employed as light reflectors.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of one of the sheet material templates showing several of the perforated tab type markers in readiness to be applied and used in the manner shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view showing a portion of the roof, more particularly the shingles, and several of the circular type marker tabs.

And FIG. 6 is a top plan view of one of the sheet material ready-to-use templates.

By way of introduction to the description of the details it may well be pointed out that the template shown by itself in FIG. 6 is of suitable size, shape and material and lends itself to use on an exterior surface of the wall or roof or other support surface under consideration. It will suffice to show the manner of use and desired end results on one sloping side of a shingle covered roof, for example the side 8 on the :building 10 appearing in FIG. I.

It is sometimes difficult to ornament and decorate roof structures and wall structures when one desires to celebrate on certain holidays such as Christmas, New Years and so on and for other similar holidays and events. As a general rule the average homeowner resorts to the use of a string of Christmas lights (not shown). On other occasions he might resort to the use of light reflecting ornaments which are not necessarily strung together as are Christmas tree lights. In any event the steps necessary to lay out and achieve the desired symmetrical and satisfactory effect is not, as a rule, easily attainable. True, one could draw, sketch or otherwise provide an outline and then match the lights with the marginal components thereof. It will be evident however that the situation under consideration poses a problem and it is an object here to satisfactorily work out and solve the problem.

The displays or designs which are to be adopted and used in keeping with the occasion or holiday will vary. The several characters" which are representative are shown in FIG. I wherein the delineated character at the left constitutes a bell, the one at the center constitutes a simulated Christmas tree. The design at the right may be specifically referred to as a greeting in word form such'as, for example, the word Noel. It is believed however that the design or character, whatever it is to be, is or should be evident from the examples appearing in FIG. I.

The template is denoted, generally stated, by the numeral 12 (FIGS. 1 and 6). While this template is shown as rectangular it can be of some other geometrical shape. In any event it is made of flexible sheet material, the sheet proper being denoted by the numeral 14. The ornamental or decorative pattern at the central portion inwardly of the marginal edges is denoted generally by the numeral 16. While it is within the purview of the invention to use straight through apertures or holes similar to those found in certain surface marking stencils, the preferred adaptation is that shown and which comprises an appropriately delineated pattern. The one shown in FIG. 6 is the aforementioned simulated Christmas tree. The marginal and other edges of the overall pattern are defined by duplicate properly positioned and interrelated perforated components. More specifically each component is denoted in FIG. 4 for example by the numeral I8 and while it is shown as circular it could be of some other contour. In any event the perforated portions 20 define diametrically opposite tearable webs 22. These components provide spotlikc markers which retain the relationship shown in FIG. 1 when the template has been pasted or otherwise positioned as shown at the right in FIG. I. These detachable components 18 are also designated as marker tabs and for best results the bottom or underneath surface of each tab is provided with pressure-responsive adhesive attaching media 24 which comes into play in the manner shown in FIG. 3. The exterior or outer surface of each tab is coated with light-reflecting material which is denoted, generally stated, by the numeral 26 particularly in FIG. 5.

FIG. 6 shows the intact prefabricated ready-to-use paper or equivalent template 12 which in practice is placed flatwise as shown at the right in FIG. I and is attached or otherwise temporarily secured in place as at 28. It is reiterated that the template is placed flatwise within the limits of the selected area which is to be decorated. By pressing the circular or equivalent tabs 18 in place and causing them to adhere to the shingles or other support surface it will be seen that the tabs can be punched out and applied one after the other after which the remainder (the removable part) of the template can be freed and discarded.

In practice the sheet material could be fire resistant so that the tabs can serve their intended purposes with reliable efficiency. In fact, the paper or other material could be waterproof too. It is within the purview of the invention to apply the sheet as shown at the right in FIG. 1 and to remove the sheet proper and leave the tabs in place to delineate the word or picture as the case may be. With the tabs in place as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, they can be used as support pads for the individual lights of a string of Christmas lights (not detailed) or,

if preferred, and instead of using lights, the reflective discs or tabs 26 can be employed alone.

The invention enables one to plan and outline a tree, a symbolic seasonal type ornament or to permit the attached tabs to stay put and to serve as a guide to facilitate decorating the roof or other surface. By using scintillating colors and reflection surfaces and making the tablike markers amply big the design desired can be achieved with or without added lights.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. For use when called upon to expeditiously plan and present an attractive seasonal message or simulated picture type display on a predetermined exterior surface of a building, a predetermined area mapping and marking guide comprising a prefabricated manually applicable and removable sheet material template adapted to be placed flatwise atop said surface and temporarily held, said sheet having complemental means permitting the user to map out, mark and thus outline the character desired, whereby to facilitate positioning and fastening a string of Christmas tree lights on said surface in a manner to match the outlined area, said means being characterized by a plurality of coordinating perforated components, said components being oriented to delineate and provide a prescribed pattern, a simulated Christmas tree, for example, said components being bodily detachable from said sheet and being orderly individually attachable to said surface and providing coacting markers and which when attached to said surface permit the sheet proper to be removed and discarded but said markers to remain in their given positions and to thus achieve the desired pattern.

2. The template defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein the attaching and retaining markers constitute tabs, the underneath surfaces of said tabs being coated with pressure responsive adhesive media.

3. The template defined in and according to claim 2, and wherein said tabs are made of waterproof and fireproof material and are readily severable and can be punched out of the sheet proper and pressed into place, after which the sheet can be ripped loose and freed from the attached tabs.

4. The template defined in and according to claim 3, and wherein the exterior faces of said tabs are provided and finished with light-reflecting material.

5. A roof and wall area delineating and marking guide comprising a template made of waterproof and fireproof flexible sheet material and adapted to be spread flatwise over a predetermined display area, and being provided inwardly of its marginal edges with a complemental pattern marginally defined by spaced individual but conjointly coordinated perforated disclike tabs, said tabs providing area mapping and outlining markers; said tabs being adapted to be manually punched out of said sheet and detached for use.

6. The template defined in and according to claim 5, and wherein the underneath surfaces of said tabs are coated with pressure responsive adhesive media, and the top exterior surfaces are coated with light reflecting material. 

2. The template defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein the attaching and retaining markers constitute tabs, the underneath surfaces of said tabs being coated with pressure responsive adhesive media.
 3. The template defined in and according to claim 2, and wherein said tabs are made of waterproof and fireproof material and are readily severable anD can be punched out of the sheet proper and pressed into place, after which the sheet can be ripped loose and freed from the attached tabs.
 4. The template defined in and according to claim 3, and wherein the exterior faces of said tabs are provided and finished with light-reflecting material.
 5. A roof and wall area delineating and marking guide comprising a template made of waterproof and fireproof flexible sheet material and adapted to be spread flatwise over a predetermined display area, and being provided inwardly of its marginal edges with a complemental pattern marginally defined by spaced individual but conjointly coordinated perforated disclike tabs, said tabs providing area mapping and outlining markers; said tabs being adapted to be manually punched out of said sheet and detached for use.
 6. The template defined in and according to claim 5, and wherein the underneath surfaces of said tabs are coated with pressure responsive adhesive media, and the top exterior surfaces are coated with light reflecting material. 